A conventional data storage system may include one device capable of bidirectional communication with another device. One device may include a computer node having a host bus adapter (HBA). The other device may be a mass storage device. Each device such as the HBA and the mass storage device may only be capable of communicating using a single communication protocol. Therefore, if the transmitting and receiving devices are compatible with separate communication protocols, a communication protocol translation bridge may be necessary to convert information from one protocol to the next protocol to permit communication there between.
To accomplish such protocol conversion, a conventional bridge may utilize a store and forward type architecture. That is, the bridge may first accept an inbound IO (input/output) compliant with a first communication protocol and store the entire contents of the inbound IO in memory. The bridge may then assemble an outbound IO compliant with a second communication protocol and transmit such outbound IO. However, this store and forward type architecture has drawbacks. First, it requires significant memory resources to perform such operations. Second, it contributes to latency as an entire inbound IO must be received and stored before the associated outbound IO may be constructed and transmitted.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly.